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FAQ

WHY DO YOU WRITE?

My love of reading drove me to write. I don’t write for myself. I write for the reader. If I’ve entertained or made a reader laugh, cry, or think about my story long after they’ve read it, then I’ve succeeded.

WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS COME FROM?

Mostly from newspaper articles, true crime documentaries, and real-life stories my friends in law enforcement share.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER STORY IDEAS FROM OTHER PEOPLE?

No. It’s a slippery slope that can lead to litigation. He stole my idea! And I don’t need the help anyway. My problem isn’t coming up with ideas; it’s finding enough time to write.

WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT WRITER'S BLOCK?

Outline, outline, outline. Outlining is critical for me, particularly with mysteries where clues and red herrings must be sprinkled throughout the plot. An outline is a blueprint that the engineer in me requires.

WHAT'S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT WRITING?

The blank page. It can take you to amazing places you’ve never been to before or poison you with doubt and uncertainty. It’s a dangerous place to be. A book can die there and often it does.

WHAT KIND OF WRITER ARE YOU?

A slow one. I’ll dwell on a sentence or paragraph for days sometimes. My writing is always iterative, which means I write a little, read it, edit it, write a little more, and repeat—from the top again. At some point, I’ll need to address that and write faster or quit my day job. Ha!

DO YOU REVIEW OTHER WRITER’S WORK?

Yes!  Look me up on https://new.critiquecircle.com/

My tag is ceronj.

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